Mattress construction

ABSTRACT

AN INNERSPRING MATTRESS HAS A W-SHAPED HANDLE SUPPORT AFFIXED TO THE INNERSPRING UNIT AT EACH OF THE HANDLE LOCATIONS. THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE W IS HORIZONTAL AND IS ENGAGED BY AN INNER FABRIC BAND ATTACHED TO THE EXTERIOR HANDLE.

Dec. 14, 1971 G 5, FASANELLA 3,626,525

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 5. 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 14, 1971 G. s. FASANELLA 3,626,525

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 5. 1970 l 2 Sheets-Sheet ,f3

MQ' T i3 393 J8 16 15 United States Patent yOffice 3,626,525 MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION George S. Fasanella, Chicago Heights, lll., assignor to The Columbia Bedding Company, Chicago, Ill. Filed Feb. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 8,932 Int. Cl. A47c 23/ 00, 25/00 U.S. Cl. 5-345 B 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An innerspring mattress has a W-shaped handle support affixed to the innerspring unit at each of the handle locations. The central portion of the W is horizontal and is engaged by an inner fabric band attached to the exterior handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a simple and inexpensive handle support for an innerspring mattress which may be readily incorporated into the mattress.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The following disclosure is offered for public dissemination in return for the grant of a patent. Although it is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an innerspring mattress of the folding type. These are used, for example, on hospital beds where various portions of the spring support can be elevated to change the patients position. In the innerspring unit of these mattresses, instead of a full border wire around the top and bottom edges, there are only partial border wires 11 along the edges at the ends only of the iimerspring unit. The innerspring unit 10` includes a plurality of individual springs 12. The border wires 11 and the individual springs 12 are laced to each other by a plurality of spiral binding wires 13. Immediately over the innerspring unit is a layer 15 of relatively firm padding (e.g., hemp or jute). Over this is a softer layer, such as cotton batting 16. Completely enclosing the unit is a cover comprising an encircling edge panel 17 and face panels 18 on opposite sides of the assembly. Edge panels 17 have a plurality of vents 19. The structure thus far described, by itself, is known to the art.

At each handle location along the side of the mattress a W handle support is secured to the innerspring unit. This support comprises a pair of generally parallel legs 21 and a central member 22. Adjacent the legs 21 there are 3,626,525 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 osets 23 so that the central member 22 is positioned outwardly (with respect to the legs 21) of the innerspring unit 10. The spiral bindings 13 are employed to lace the legs 21 to the innerspring unit 10. Both the legs 21 and the adjacent portions of the innerspring unit are encircled by the spiral binding 13 thereby aixing the two to each other. In FIG. 2 the spiral binding 13 has been omitted for the purpose of clarity. The best procedure is to have some of the central members 22 face in one direction with respect to the innerspring unit and some to face in the opposite direction, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. The W metal handle supports employed in the present invention are formed of spring wire. A number l0 wire will be suitable for most applications.

In the illustrated embodiment there is a vertical outer handle comprising a fabric band 25 and, what may be termed, an inner handle 26 which is looped about central member 22. The two fabric handles are sewn together through the edge panel 17, as indicated at 27. Other forms of inner and outer handles, eg., plastic cords, may be employed for the handles and suitably affixed to each other. Thus, any lifting force applied to outer handle 25 is transmitted directly through the sewing 27 to the inner handle 26, from the inner handle to the central member 22, and from there to the innerspring unit as a whole.

To move patients in hospitals, two litter poles may be inserted through the handles, one pole on each side of the mattress. With a person lifting in front and a person lifting behind, it is thereby possible to easily carry the patient on the mattress. Alternatively, four people (two on each side) can lift the mattress by the handles. This is made feasible by the use of four handles on each side. Because of the handle construction the fabric handles are not torn out of the mattress cover by such a procedure. In conventional mattresses, where the mattress handles are anchored only to the cover itself, the cover must take all of the strain of transmitting the patients weight from he handle to the innerspring unit. While FIG. 1 illustrates a better procedure of installing two handles on the central support, it will be apparent that a single handle could be employed in place of the two shown.

With the folding type mattress, a substantial additional benefit is obtained through the stabilization of the mattress. 'Ihe hip area of the mattress is particularly critical and the central handle supports see that this area is stabilized. Another important advantage that is obtained is that the cover is thereby anchored against twisting about what is inside of it. Conventionally, other procedures are employed to prevent twisting, but these (and their expense) can be avoided when the present handle anchors are used.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the invention can be employed in connection with conventional, non-folding, mattresses. These mattresses have a border wire or rod 30 which extends entirely around the mattress at the top and bottom edges. Here the legs 21 of the metal handle supports are bound to the border wire 30 by the same type of spiral binding 13 conventionally employed in mattress construction.

I claim:

1. In a mattress comprising an innerspring unit with a cover thereover, said unit having peripheral top and bottom metal edge portions, said cover having handles located at the sides of the mattress, the improvement wherein at the handle location said mattress includes:

a semi-rigid handle support comprising two generally parallel legs and a central member connected to said legs and positioned generally parallel thereto, said legs being respectively in juxtaposition to said edge portions and connected thereto with the central member intermediate the top and bottom edge portions;

means connecting the handle at the location to said central member;

said handle being vertical and comprising a fabric band on the outside of the cover, and said means including a second fabric band inside of the cover and passing about the inner side, with respect to said unit, of said member, said two bands being sewn together through said cover.

2. In a mattress as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support is formed of spring wire and has the general configuration of a W.

3. In a mattress as set forth in claim 2, including helical wires at said edges binding said legs to the respective edges.

4. In a mattress as set forth in claim 1, wherein said legs are positioned in a plane, and said central member being parallel to said plane in a position spaced outwardly, with respect to said unit, of said plane.

5. In a mattress as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are three such handle supports and four handles on each side of the mattress, the two center handles on each side being connected to a common handle support.

6. In a mattress comprising an innerspring unit with a cover thereover, said unit having peripheral top and bottom metal edge portions, said cover having handles located at the sides of the mattress, the improvement wherein at the handle location said mattress includes:

a semi-rigid handle support of spring wire in the form of a W comprising two generally parallel legs and a central part connected to said legs and positioned generally parallel thereto, said legs being generally horizontal, in juxtaposition to said edge portions and connected thereto with the central part intermediate the top and bottom edge portions;

said handles being vertical and secured to said support.

7. In a mattress as set forth in claim 6, wherein said legs are positioned in a plane, and said central part being parallel to said plane in a position spaced outwardly, with respect to said unit, of said plane.

8. In a mattress as set forth in claim 6, wherein there are three such handle supports and four handles on each side of the mattress, the two center handles on each side being connected to a common handle support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,254,351 6/1966 Bronstien 5-345 B BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner 

